Apparatus for the uniform distribution of material issuing from blast pipe lines

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for the uniform distribution of material issuing from blast pipe lines has a terminal distributor arranged directly on the discharge end of a horizontal or slightly rising conveyor pipe line, with the distributor including a drivable and swingable discharge trough. The discharge trough is mounted for oscillation, in a predetermined adjustable range, about the axis of the conveyor pipe to direct the material at an angle to the axis either laterally or downwardly. The conveyor pipe includes an intermediate section and a terminal section having a diameter larger than that of the intermediate section. A guide rail extends above the material receiving area and mounts the terminal section for reciprocation parallel to its axis with the major part of its length being telescopable over the intermediate section. The terminal section may be designed as an elongated hood with a detachable bottom wall which is detached from the hood as the terminal section is retracted and which is attached to the hood as the terminal section is extended.

United States Patent Weichel [451 Sept. 5, 1972 [54] APPARATUS FOR THE UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIAL ISSUING FROM BLAST PIPE LINES [72] Inventor: Ernst Weichel, Bahhofstrasse 1,

7326 Heiningen, Germany [22] Filed: June 12, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 45,864

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 14, 1969 Germany ..P 19 30 318.5

[52] U.S. Cl. ..302/61, 214/17 C [51] Int. Cl ..B6Sg 53/40 [58] Field of Search ..302/17, 34, 59, 61, 63;

- 214/17 C, 17 CB [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,772,124 11/1956 Smith ..302/61 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 448,886 4/1968 Switzerland ..302/61 Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Hadd S. Lane Attorney-McGlew and Toren [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for the uniform distribution of material issuing from blast pipe lines has a terminal distributor arranged directly on the discharge end of a horizontal or slightly rising conveyor pipe line, with the distributor including a drivable and swingable discharge trough. The discharge trough is mounted for oscillation, in a predetermined adjustable range, about the axis of the conveyor pipe to direct the material at an angle to the axis either laterally or downwardly. The conveyor pipe includes an intermediate sectionand a terminal section having a diameter larger than that of the intermediate section. A guide rail extends above the material receiving area and mounts the terminal section for reciprocation parallel to its axis with the major part of its length being telescopable over the intermediate section. The terminal section may be designed as an elongated hood with a detachable bottom wall which is detached from the hood as the terminal section is retracted and which is attached to the hood as the terminal section is extended.

7 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PKTENTEDSEP 5 I972 SHEET 2 BF 5 INVENTO'R:

E'RNST WElCNEL Fm'o'R uEYs PATENTED 1912 3589.1 19

SHEEI h 0F 5 mvermm E'RNST WEICHEL 3 (TUM- Fm' okmvs PATENTED EP' 1w 3589.119

SHEET 5 0F 5 INVENI'D'R-- ERNST W'ElCHEL RTIO'RNEVS APPARATUS FOR THE UNIFORM DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIAL ISSUING FROM BLAST PIPE LINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION End distributors, for the uniform distribution of material such as hay, straw, green fodder, silage, grains, etc. issuing from a blast pipe line to be stored on a storage surface or in a silo, and usually called end distributors are known. Such apparatus is connected, for example, by means of conventional pipe closures to the end of the blast pipe line for easy detachment. As a rule, they have a rotatably mounted discharge trough which receives, from a gearing, and through a known driving arrangement, a rotary or oscillating movement about the longitudinal axis of the pipe, and which comprise several segments interconnected by hinges which can be adjusted to different relative inclinations.

If the discharge trough is arranged, for example on the end of a pipe extending perpendicularly downwardly, it is possible to charge a circular surface beneath the open end of the pipe uniformly with the material to be distributed. The drive of the apparatus is effected either by air impellers and reduction gearing connected to the impellers, or by the blast air and the material to be transported, or by a separate gear motor. The gear motor must usually be connected to a special additional gear which can perform the functions tuming the discharge trough, adjusting the inclinations of the discharge troug and controlling the adjusting speed of the discharge trough in the various ranges between the so-called stretched position and the end position in which the sections have the greatest curvature.

Such end distributors can be arranged on a pipe line extending vertically downwardly and whose discharge end is arranged above the center of a silo or above the center of a hay storage room. Due to the rotary movement of the discharge trough and the pivotal movement thereof, circular storage surfaces and possibly also square storage surfaces can be charged, by means of additional known control devices, with such an arrangement. However, there is the disadvantage that the terminal distributor must always be in a free space above the stored material, so that storage rooms or silos cannot be filled completely with the delivered material.

Another disadvantage is that known terminal distributors are not suitable for charging rectangular or oval storage rooms, such as found frequently in oblong buildings, or in storage rooms which are provided with a gable roof. These buildings, at least, require frequent relaying of the pipe line or moving of the site of the end distributor and, in practice, this involves a great deal of effort and some risk.

It is also known to arrange terminal distributors directly at the end of a horizontal or slightly rising pipe line. In such an arrangement, there is less loss of space due to the installation of the terminal distributor, and space also is saved by the elimination of a pipe bend at the end of the horizontal pipe, whose discharge end would point downwardly, and a more favorable conveyance is attained. A disadvantage of this arrangement, however, is that only that range of the storage surface in front or in front and laterally of the open end of the pipe can be charged with delivered material. This range of the storage surface immediately behind or laterally next to the open pipe end cannot be charged. This leads to a reduction of the surface which can be charged from an operating point of the end distributor, since the throw range of the blower can be utilized only in one principal direction.

Another disadvantage is that the chargeable storage surface does not have the form of a rectangle or of a circle, but is rather of an oval or elliptic form, and if the terminal distributor rotates through 360 with respect to the substantially horizontal axis of the pipe, the material would be blown partly toward the underside of the roof before it can drop to the floor, thus dusting the roof and effecting a harmful separation of the material.

It is possible to use an electric motor with a reversing gear, or limit switches, so that the discharge trough of the terminal distributor is always in a downwardly inclined position, for example, because it rotates through 180 up to a lateral ejecting position at which there is effected a reverse switching so that the terminal distributor moves back until it arrives in a position ejecting to the opposite side. However, this arrangement requires electric motors, is relatively expensive, and is cumbersome when it comes to moving the distributor from one operating point to another operating point.

Another disadvantage of the arrangement is that, when oblong, primarily rectangular storage surfaces are charged, the various locations of the terminal distributor can be changed only by shortening or lengthening the pipe or line by removing or adding segments or sections thereof. Although this rearrangement of the terminal distributor requires considerable work, and could not be handled in many cases by one person without additional complicated equipment, it is still possible to achieve a completely uniform deposit of the material on the storage surface, by moving the distributor repeatedly. The materials deposited form the various locations of the terminal distributor. remain visible in the depot as undulated hills and valleys. This results in a varying density of the material in the fodder supply, and thus also in a varying permeability to air in storage rooms which re equipped with ventilation devices. These differences frequently lead to a different quality of the fodder, or even to spoilage of some portions or to self-ignition, due to insufficient after-dying, particularly of the relatively moist portions which are stored relatively densely.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to apparatus for the uniform distribution of material issuing from blast pipe lines, and, more particularly, to an improved and more efficient apparatus of this type.

The apparatus of the invention is capable of distribution stalky and leafy materials with a minimum of construction and operating cost, is capable of charging even oblong, rectangular storage rooms of considerable length, or those covered by gable roofs, in such a way that a uniform height of charge and stratification of the material in the storage area is attained, and is further capable of charging relatively large depots with a single terminal distributor.

In accordance with the invention, a known terminal distributor is so arranged on the discharge end of a horizontal or slightly rising conveyor pipe line that a drivable and pivotable discharge trough is oscillated merely in a predetermined and preferably adjustable range about the axis of the conveyor pipe, and in such a way that the material is deflected laterally of the axis either vertically or slanted downwardly to about a horizontal position, and that at least the end section of the conveyor pipe line, which carriers at its outer end the terminal distributor, has a larger diameter than an adjacent intermediate section and is mounted on a guide'rail above the material receiving area for longitudinal displacement so that the terminal secton can be reciprocated with the major portion of its length being telescopable over the intermediate section. Preferably, the terminal section is connected with the front or discharge end of the adjacent intermediate section by friction-reducing means, such as rollers.

The discharge end of the intermediate section preferably is mounted not only for easy longitudinal displacement on rollers inside the terminal section but also is provided at its discharge end with rollers which cooperate with a stop, in one end position of the displacement path within the terminal section, to prevent the 7 intermediate section from being pulled out completely from the terminal section.

The longitudinal displacement of the terminal section preferably is effected by driving means producing pivotal or oscillating movement of the terminal distributor by a mechanical drive, if necessary with adjustable speeds or displacement paths.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the mutually displaceable sections or segments of the conveyor pipe line consist of several parts which can be rapidly and easily attached or detached.

It is preferable to arrange the supply section of the conveyor pipe line, which s usually vertical, for example, at a considerable distance from the building wall and outside the building wall, so that a major portion of the horizontal section of the conveyor pipe line already is outside that partof the storage room adjoining the vertical section.

As a further feature of the invention, guide elements carrying the terminal section displaceably along a guide rail above the material receiving area are so secured on the terminal section that they can be displaced or transposed.

In another embodiment of the invention, the terminal section is designed as a hood with a detachable bottom wall which can be reciprocated over the ejector of the supply section of the blast pipe line. This detachable bottom is connected with the underside of the hood by means of automatically opening and closing holding devices and only in that portion of the hood which is downstream of the ejector. The part of the trough bottom wall detached from the hood, and which is upstream of the discharge end of the ejector, is held movably by means of guides. If necessary, the detached part of the bottom wall can be wound on a drum.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the bottom wall may consist of rigid sections which are interconnected by hinges and which, when not connected with the hood, can be temporarily deposited, with their projecting pins in a stand, preferably hanging down and folded. The bottom wall preferably comprises a flexible steel plate, a foil, or a rubber belt.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a gear of the terminal distributor carries a chain sprocket which engages a roller chain passing over a chain sprocket of an angle drive and a chain tension sprocket rotatable on a swingable arm around the entire blast pipe line. The pivotability of the ring of the terminal distributor with the chain sprocket is maintained, at least in a range of about and a driven sprocket connected by a chain and chain sprocket with a driving pinion which cooperates with the guidewheel effects longitudinal displacement of the terminal section.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for the uniform distribution of material issuing from blast pipe lines.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved apparatus which involves a minimum of construction and operating expense.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an improved apparatus which can charge even oblong, rectangular storage rooms of considerable length as well as those covered by gable roofs in such a way that a uniform height of charge and stratification of the material is attained.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved apparatus by means of which relatively large depots can be charged with a single terminal distributor.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an improved apparatus in which the conveyor pipe includes an intermediate section and a terminal section having a diameter larger than that of the intermediate section and mounted for adjustment along a guide rail with the major part of its length being telescopable over the intermediate section.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF- THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevation view partially in section of a storage room with a conveyor pipe line charged form a chopper and including a terminal distributor;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1, with parts partly removed;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the mutually displaceable sections of the conveyor pipe line, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view, similar to FIG. 4, of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 6, of still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, of still a further embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of still another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is a partial side elevation view illustrating details of an embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a horizontal blast pipe line 3 is arranged in a building 1, such as being positioned nest to the underside of roof 2. Blast pipe line 3 comprises a terminal section 4 and an intermediate section 5, intermediate section 5 having a diameter less than that of terminal section 4. Section 5 is guided on rollers 6, 7, or other guide means, in terminal section 4, so that both pipe sections can be displaced toward and away from each other by approximately the amount of their respective lengths.

Terminal section 4 is suspended, for longitudinal displacement by means of rollers 8 engaging a guide rail 9 secured'by brackets 10 on roof 2. Rollers 8 can be connected detachably with terminal section 4, for example by means of pipe clamps 1 l.

A substantially rectilinear head or discharge section 12 of the pipe line is arranged outside building 1, so that terminal section 4 can be moved sufficiently'far over head section 12, for example when intermediate section 5 is temporarily removed, that the terminal distributor 13 at the discharge end of terminal section 4 can move close to that side of the storage area nearest the cutting or conveyor blower 14. Terminal distributor 13 comprises, in a known manner, a fastening ring 15 connected with terminal section 4, and which is provided with brackets 16 carrying guide rollers 17 in which is rotatably mounted a ring 18. On ring 18, there is arranged a gear 19 which performs the known functions turning and adjusting the discharge trough of distributor 13, nd which is driven by an impeller 20 or by an electric motor, which latter has not been shown.

In accordance with the invention, a shaft driven by gear 19, which latter is driven with a substantial reduction and hence rotates slowly, and which driven shaft preferably is parallel to'the rotational axis of ring 18 relative to fastening ring 15, carries a chain sprocket 62 driving a roller chain 63. As best seen in FIG. 3, roller chain 63 runs over a sprocket 64 of an additional angle drive 65 secured on fastening ring 16, and also runs over a chain tension sprocket 67 rotatably mounted on a spring biased arm 66 pivoted on fastening ring 15, chain 63 extending around terminal section 4. Thus, ring 18 remains oscillatable, with sprocket 62, in at least a large sector relative to fastening ring 15, with the angle drive 65 still being driven uniformly by roller chain 63.

Between the sprockets, chain 63 can bear on one or more sliding bars 68 so that, on the one hand, an inexpensive and space-saving construction is attained without additional guide sprockets while, on the other hand, excessive friction if avoided since the chain link rollers 63a can roll along the narrow sliding bars 68. The driven sprocket 69 of angle drive 65 is connected by a chain 21 with sprocket 71 driving a driving pinion 22 whose sprocket teeth or pins engage bores or apertures of guide rail 9 so that, when driving pinion 22 is driven, terminal section 4 moves on guide rail 9 in one direction and is displaced relative to intermediate section 5. After terminal section 4 has reached its limit of extension, the direction of rotation of driving pinion or sprocket 22 can be changed by known reversing switches 23, so that terminal section 4 will reverse its direction of movement and can be pushed back over intermediate section 5 until another reversing switch 24 effects a further reversal of the direction of movement.

FIG. 10 illustrates an example of a simple and safe embodiment of a driving arrangement for longitudinal displacement of terminal section 4, and which switches automatically between forward and reverse movement directions. A rocking lever of a sliding gear 54 is oscillated by angle drive 65 through the medium of a crank 72 and a link 73. On rocking lever 55 there is rotatably mounted, by means of a pin 59, a pair of sliding pawls 56. Only one pawl at a time engages the teeth of sliding gear 54 and sets gear 54, which is nonrotatably connected with driving sprocket 22, step by step during movement in one direction.

There is rigidly connected with pawl 56, through journal 59, a rocking lever 57 having a limited movement and which is arranged outside rocking lever 55. Rocking lever 57 is so retained in one of two positions by a spring 58, secured on the free end of control lever 57 and on the lower end of rocking lever 55, that either one or the other pawl of the pair of sliding pawls 56 is kept resiliently in engagement with the teeth of sliding gear 54. 7

As can be seen from FIG. 10, which shows the same driving arrangement in two different operating positions, control lever 57 is oscillated through a sufficient amplitude, when it strikes a stationary adjustable stop 600, until the line of action of spring 58 is beyond journal 59 so that the respective opposite sliding pawl is disengaged and the direction of rotation of sliding gear 54 is reversed. In a similar manner, the next reversal is effected when control lever 57 strikes the stop 60b.

Primarily the same driving and reversing device can be used also in the drive for the pivotal movement of discharge trough 37 of the terminal distributor 13. In this case, guide rail 9 is formed as a rack connected with the fastening ring of the distributor and with which pinion 61 meshes. Sliding gear 54, in this case, would be connected non-rotatably with pinion 61, and the latter would not be arranged directly on a drive shaft of gear 19 but in a separate bearing block. The drive of sliding gear 54 would be effected over the crank and link from gear 19. By interchanging stops 60a and 60b, it then would be possible to set any reciprocable traversing range of ring 18 of the distributor.

FIGS. 4 9 show modified embodiments of the invention which permit placing the conveyor pipe line and blower 14 relatively close to the building wall while still providing for movement of terminal distributor 13, or terminal section 4, substantially from one end of the storage room to the other end. In addition, very long pipe sections can be suspended for longitudinal displacement.

As best seen in FIG. 5, the terminal pipe section is designed as a rectangular, square or semicircular hood 25 which is supplemented, to form a closed hollow body, by a detachably but flexible or foldable bottom wall 26. Bottom wall 26 can comprise either a flexible steel plate or a foil reinforced by cross bars 41, a rubber belt, a bellows, or articulated folding rigid sections 39, such as shown in FIG. 7. Hood 25 is not rigidly connected with vertical section 27 of the pipe line, but is only guided, for longitudinal displacement, over a substantially resilient discharge end of a pipe bend or ejector 28, so that hood 25 can be moved into the open, if necessary for its full length, on guide rail 9 preferably extended beyond the building and suspended, if necessary, on guy wires 51 secure to a mast 52.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the exposed or detached portion of bottom wall 26 is supported, during displacement of the terminal section, by a roller 50 and is deflected and retained by guides 29 extending along the side of vertical pipe section 27 facing the storage room, and in such a way that bottom wall 26 occupies, if necessary through the medium of a weight 49, the position shown in FIG. 4. As seen in FIG. 6, bottom wall 26 also can be wound on a drum 30.

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment wherein the bottom wall 26 can be telescoped by folding the articulated sections 39, which are provided with projecting pins supported in a guide means or the like 76. In order to provide a tight connection between bottom wall 26 and hood 25, there are provided, at certain intervals, holding devices 31 on the outside of hood 25 and which extend laterally beneath bottom wall 26. These holding devices provide the parts required for closing hood 25, and press bottom wall 26 against the bottom edges of I hood 25.In order to avoid deformation, hood 25 can be provided with reinforcing fins or ribs 40, as best seen in FIG. 5.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the holding devices can be designed, for example as pressure plates 46 secured on the free ends of pivotal stirrups 43 which are biased by springs 47. The pressure plates 46 can be formed with bevelled leading edges. Stirrups 43 are pivotally mounted in bearing blocks 42 for limited oscillation, and are provided with control arms 43a rotatably mounting, at their free ends, rollers 44 and so biased, by springs 48, that they try to assume the position represented in FIG. 5. When rollers 44 strike stationary stop bars 45 during longitudinal displacement of hood 25, as seen in FIG. 4, the control arms 430 are turned inwardly so that pressure plates 46 release the associated part of bottom wall 26.

' As best seen in FIG. 4, it is sufficient to make stop bars 45, which are mounted on struts 53 in turn mounted either on vertical section 27 of the pipe line or on a part of the building, in such a way that they can actuate control arms 430 but otherwise do not hinder the movement of hood 26. The stop bars 45 have lengths corresponding substantially to the spacing between adjacent pivotal stirrups 43, and are provided at both ends, with bevelled surfaces so that they can actuate control arms 43a during their passage in both directions, as long as is necessary to release the section of bottom wall 26 held by pivotal stirrups 43, or to reembrace such section. The holding devices can be replaced, in a known manner, by magnets 32 (FIG. 4), retaining pawls, zippers, plugs, guide rollers, etc. Details of these readily disengageable fastening means are known to those skilled in the art.

By using known resiliently compressable means, or, for example, by using packings 38, as shown in FIG. 5, it is possible to connect that part of the hood 25 above the storage area tightly with the respective sections of bottom wall 26, while still providing that the wall section can be easily or automatically disengageable from hood 25, and thus to attain a favorable conveyance of material without premature air losses. An additional advantage of this design of the terminal section 4 as a hood 25 is that, in case of clogging, the pipe line can be opened relatively easily and the material causing the clogging can be removed.

With this arrangement, it is possible to obtain that a terminal distributor secured at the end of a horizontal, or slightly rising, conveyor pipe line can be moved over substantially the entire length of the storage area without the necessity of disassembling parts of the horizontal pipe line, or moving the distributor, or arranging feed blower 24 and vertical pipe line section 27 connected thereto at a considerable distance from the building wall.

Since the terminal distributor can be displaced not only longitudinally over the storage area butalso can be oscillated laterally to and fro, an exact uniform charging of relatively long straight storage areas is attained.

It is advisable to make the discharge trough adjustable manually or mechanically so that the maximum throw range of the terminal distributor can be adapted, in its .end position, to the respective width of the storage room. Since the width of a storage roof having a gable room supported on vertical walls constantly decreases in that range in which the height of the deposits exceeds the height of the vertical walls, for example, this adjustment of the throw range of the terminal distributor is necessary.

In accordance with the invention, it is also possible to design the discharge through 37 as a bend of more than and adjustable so that the material to be transported can be ejected both ahead of the outlet port of the terminal distributor and in a certain range behind the outlet port. Due to this arrangement, depots can be filled uniformly from the front to the rear if the distributor cannot be so arranged, for example, for lack of space, that it can be moved fully from one end of the depot to the other. It is not always necessary to make the terminal section 4 and the hood 25, respectively, as long as the storage building. Frequently, it is sufficient to arrange one end position of the distributor at such spacing from the associated end of the storage room that this distance can be bridged over by free throwing power of the end distributor having an adjustable discharge trough.

A special advantage of the embodiment of the invention having the detachably mounted bottom wall 26 is that the guide 29 for the freely suspended part of bottom wall 26 can be arranged on the vertical blast pipe section 27 substantially in the required height and length, respectively, because this pipe line section 27, in most buildings, is so high that it corresponds to a considerable portion of the length of the storage room. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 6, wherein bottom wall 26 can be wound about a drum 30, there is practically no limit to the length of the bottom wall. End distributor l3 naturally can also be temporarily removed and arranged on other pipe lines, for example, for charging silos.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, even a high silo 74 can be filled by hood 25 without the necessity of installing more than 90 bend in the pipe line. Uniform filling can be obtained, in this case, by regulation using the drive for the longitudinal displacement at a different speed, that is, so that the longitudinal displacement is slower in the center of the silo than adjacent the wall thereof. This can be obtained, in accordance with the invention, for example, by varying the velocity of movement of the terminal distributor, for example by cam control of by a known stepping circuit, and i1. such a way that the distributor moves fast, for example, at the front and rear end of the silo while it moves relatively slowly at the center of the silo. At the'same time, the lateral traverse of the distributor can also be made adjustable, that is, it can be so designed, for example, by built-in traverse stops, that, in each position, the optimum maximum lateral horizontal traverse corresponding to the circular base is provided. This results not only in an absolutely uniform charging of the silo, but also prevents harmful separation of the material.

Since the invention provides at a small cost a satisfactory and uniform charging of differently shaped depots without manual work, it represents a substantial progress.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the ap plication of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material issuing from blast pipe lines, of the type having a terminal distributor arranged directly on the discharge end of the horizontal or slightly rising conveyor pipe line, with the distributor including a drivable and swingable discharge trough; the improvement comprising, in combination, means operable to oscillate said discharge trough in an adjustable predetermined range about the axis of said conveyor pipe so that said trough directs the material at an angle to the axis of said conveyor pipe both laterally and downwardly; said conveyor pipe including an intermediate section and a terminal section having a diameter larger than that of said intermediate section; a guide rail extending above the material receiving area; means mounting said terminal section on said guide rail for reciprocation parallel to the axis of said terminal section with the major part of its length being telescopable over said intermediate section; said conveyor pipe line including an outwardly extending section externally of a building wall enclosing said material receiving area, and terminating in an ejector extending into said terminal section and constituting said intermediate section; said terminal section being formed of an inverted troughshaped hood reciprocable over said ejector; a bottom wall disengageably connectible to said hood to form therewith a tubular enclosure; automatically opening and closing holding devices operable to sealingly connect that portion of said bottom wall downstream of said ejector with the bottom edges of said hood; guide means upstream of said ejector movably receiving that portion of said bottom wall disengaged from said hood; said bottom wall comprising rigid individual sections;

hinges interconnecting adjacent sections; laterally projecting pins on each section; and a stand constituting said guide means and engageable with said pins whereby that portion of said bottom wall disengaged from said hood is arranged with said individual sections sus endedf ids and nd in oldedr l t 2? An apga r f us or the uniform disfri l i tion of material, the improvement claimed in claim 1 including a drum constituting said guide means; that portion of said bottom walls disengaged from said hood being wound on said drum.

3. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said holding devices comprise pivotal stirrups, pivotally mounted in vbearing blocks; spring biased pressure plates mounted for limited movement at the free ends of said stirrup; respective control arms on said stirrups; respective rollers rotatably mounted on each control arm; and stop bars engageable with said rollers to swing said stirrup about axes extending parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said hood and against said spring bias; whereby said stirrups, through therespective spring biased pressure plates, automatically connect and disconnect the associated part of said bottom wall relative to said hood.

4. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim lin which said bottom wall comprises an elongated sheet of flexible material.

5. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim I in which said holding devices comprise magnets.

6. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim 5, including elastic packing interposed between the bottom edges of said hood and said bottom wall, and connected with one of said hood and said bottom wall.

7. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for oscillating said discharge trough includes a driven gear for oscillating said discharge trough; a first sprocket secured to rotate with said pivot gear; an angle drive including a second sprocket; an arm pivoted on said end terminal section; biasing means urging said arm away from said terminal section; a third sprocket rotatably mounted on the free end of saidv arm; and endless roller chain trained about said terminal section and engaging said first, second and third sprocket; said distributor including a ring oscillatable therewith; said chain being connected to said ring to oscillate said ring through substantially a fourth sprocket of said angle drive driven by said second sprocket; a fifth sprocket; a second endless chain trained over said fourth and fifth sprocket to drive said fifth sprocket; a driving sprocket connected to rotate with said fifth sprocket and cooperable with said guide rail to effect reciprocation of said terminal section. 

1. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material issuing from blast pipe lines, of the type having a terminal distributor arranged directly on the discharge end of the horizontal or slightly rising conveyor pipe line, with the distributor including a drivable and swingable discharge trough; the improvement comprising, in combination, means operable to oscillate said discharge trough in an adjustable predetermined range about the axis of said conveyor pipe so that said trough directs the material at an angle to the axis of said conveyor pipe both laterally and downwardly; said conveyor pipe including an intermediate section and a terminal section having a diameter larger than that of said intermediate section; a guide rail extending above the material receiving area; means mounting said terminal section on said guide rail for reciprocation parallel to the axis of said terminal section with the major part of its length being telescopable over said intermediate section; said conveyor pipe line including an outwardly extending section externally of a building wall enclosing said material receiving area, and terminating in an ejector extending into said terminal section and constituting said intermediate section; said terminal section being formed of an inverted trough-shaped hood reciprocable over said ejector; a bottom wall disengageably connectible to said hood to form therewith a tubular enclosure; automatically opening and closing holding devices operable to sealingly connect that portion of said bottom wall downstream of said ejector with the bottom edges of said hood; guide means upstream of said ejector movably receiving that portion of said bottom wall disengaged from said hood; said bottom wall comprising rigid individual sections; hinges interconnecting adjacent sections; laterally projecting pins on each section; and a stand constituting said guide means and engageable with said pins whereby that portion of said bottom wall disengaged from said hood is arranged with said individual sections suspended from said stand and in folded relation.
 2. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim 1 including a drum constituting said guide means; that portion of said bottom walls disengaged from said hood being wound on said drum.
 3. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said holding devices comprise pivotal stirrups, pivotally mounted in beariNg blocks; spring biased pressure plates mounted for limited movement at the free ends of said stirrup; respective control arms on said stirrups; respective rollers rotatably mounted on each control arm; and stop bars engageable with said rollers to swing said stirrup about axes extending parallel to the direction of reciprocation of said hood and against said spring bias; whereby said stirrups, through the respective spring biased pressure plates, automatically connect and disconnect the associated part of said bottom wall relative to said hood.
 4. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said bottom wall comprises an elongated sheet of flexible material.
 5. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim 1 in which said holding devices comprise magnets.
 6. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, the improvement claimed in claim 5, including elastic packing interposed between the bottom edges of said hood and said bottom wall, and connected with one of said hood and said bottom wall.
 7. An apparatus for the uniform distribution of material, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for oscillating said discharge trough includes a driven gear for oscillating said discharge trough; a first sprocket secured to rotate with said pivot gear; an angle drive including a second sprocket; an arm pivoted on said end terminal section; biasing means urging said arm away from said terminal section; a third sprocket rotatably mounted on the free end of said arm; and endless roller chain trained about said terminal section and engaging said first, second and third sprocket; said distributor including a ring oscillatable therewith; said chain being connected to said ring to oscillate said ring through substantially 180*, a fourth sprocket of said angle drive driven by said second sprocket; a fifth sprocket; a second endless chain trained over said fourth and fifth sprocket to drive said fifth sprocket; a driving sprocket connected to rotate with said fifth sprocket and cooperable with said guide rail to effect reciprocation of said terminal section. 